Re: Suggestion for file type detection approach

[Ingo Ruhnke <grumbel gmx de>]

Rodney Dawes <dobey free fr> writes:

> This is obviously incorrect. Having to have the user rename their
> files so that they get opened with the right application, is
> inappropriate.

If the file-suffix is incorrect the file is broken and needs to be
fixed, ie the suffix needs to be changed to the correct one. Having an
"open with" as a quick workaround is ok and good, but relaying on
guessed filetypes as default is really not good, since it works only
in 95% of the cases, is slow and can lead to pretty much unexpected
behaviour and worst of all, is unfixable by the user. And last not
least, all other operating systems currently really more or less on
the file-suffix to be correct, since so far its the only portable way
to transport the filetype.

> Sniffing is always appropriate. Content type should be determined by
> content, not by name.

Its not by name, its by the filetype that was given the file by the
user or application. And I certanly know a whole lot better how my
files should be handled than some magic not user-modifiable
auto-detection thingy. The file-suffix gives a hint on how the data is
meant to be handled, guessing can just suggest some additional ways
how the data might be handled, but that might be correct or far of the
target, depending on the content and the quality of the guesser.

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